AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Letterman leveled him with narrowed eyes. “Let me do my job, Sam.”
Kit didn’t blame the attorney. She was doing her job as well as Sam was allowing her.
Letterman turned on Kit. “Her killer could have sent that text to her parents, spoofing my client’s number. Or sent the text to Skyler. Or both. My client’s being set up.”
“Possibly,” Kit agreed. Probably, even. “We can eliminate Dr.Reeves as a suspect if he can prove he was where he says he was.” She held up a hand when the attorney started to say no once again. “Do you have location services on your phone turned on, Dr.Reeves?”
“I don’t know.” But there was a glint of hope in his eyes.
If Kit could get him to just let them check, they could settle this quickly and the man could go on with his life.
And I can start looking for the real killer.
Sam’s face was the picture of indecision. Maybe one more little push.
“It seems convenient that this happened the weekend you were alone with no alibi, Dr.Reeves,” Kit said softly. “We can make this go away with a quick check.”
“It’s not a quick check,” Letterman said with an angry glare at Kit. “They’ll need access to your phone. It’s not just letting the detective see your location. Her CSU team will have to check your whole phone.”
Sam’s shoulders slumped. “I can’t let you do that. I have a portal that accesses patient records on my phone.”
“We can have a court-appointed special master,” Kit said. “Someone who isn’t SDPD and who will keep your client files confidential.”
Sam looked at Letterman. “Is that true?”
“It is,” she conceded. “Although it will take some time.”
“I can call in some favors and speed it up,” Kit said. “Look, if this is a setup and Dr.Reeves is being framed in some way, I need to know immediately because that means there’s still a killer out there.”
Sam looked at Kit then, his gaze assessing. Whatever he saw must have satisfied him, because he nodded. “Do it. But this doesn’t make everything ‘go away.’ Skyler is still dead. And that is because someone wants to make me look like a killer. She was a good person. She had big dreams.” He swallowed hard. “Now she’s gone and I have to look her parents in the eye, knowing that she was targeted because of me, even if I didn’t do anything wrong. And even if you clear me—when you clear me—they might always have doubts about me. And that’s... well, that’s...”
Kit could feel his anguish. He was right. “Homicides are always terrible situations. The actions of a killer cause ripples that affect the lives of the people left behind. I can’t change that. But I can check your alibi. Also give me the name of that park ranger. I’ll contact him—or her?”
“Him,” Sam said. “His name is Herman Rymer. I don’t have his contact info, though.”
“I’ll find him,” Kit promised. “Probably not until tomorrow, though.”
Sam stiffened. “I don’t have to stay here all night, do I?”
“No,” Kit and Letterman said at the same time. “We will need to keep your phone, though,” Kit added. “It’s evidence now. But it’s locked and will remain so until we get the special master assigned.”
Sam pressed his fingertips to his temples. “But even if you establish that my phone was at Joshua Tree, it doesn’t mean that I was.”
Kit hid her wince, but just barely. He was right, but she’d hoped to allay his anxiety for a little while at least.
Letterman shook her head in consternation. “Sam.”
“It’s true, though,” he said to her. “Isn’t it?”
Letterman nodded reluctantly. “But it’s better than nothing.”
“That’s why I’ll also find the ranger,” Kit added.
“But it won’t completely clear me,” he said bitterly, closing his eyes. “You might be able to convince a jury, but people will always wonder.”
“Dr.Reeves, I want to put the right killer away so that he can never hurt anyone else. Clearing your name, if that’s where the evidence leads, will be a happy by-product. But my duty is to the victims. I won’t rest until they get justice.”
“I know.” But he still sounded defeated and Kit couldn’t fix that.
